You are here

Two Days a Week to a Barrel Chest

“Classic bodybuilders like Arnold used to flex and stretch the muscles they were training between sets to force more blood into them. What they discovered through trial and error I’ve refined into a science—the FST-7 method—and it’s helped current bodybuilders like Phil Heath and Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler pack on even more size to their already massive frames. Spend the next eight weeks using FST-7 on your chest, and you’ll unlock your own potential for building big pecs." - Hany Rambod

How It Works:

You’ll perform some basic chest-building moves on two different days of the week. The first session is higher in volume, and the second lets you train heavier. After the main work on Day 1, you’ll use the FST-7 method for your last exercise, and that’s where things get crazy. It serves as a brutal finisher. Here’s the idea behind it. Your muscles are encased in a webbing of connective tissue called fascia. If you loosen the fascia a bit—through stretching—you create more space for the muscle to grow. So stretching in between sets of your last exercise is critical to your progress on this program. You’ll also throw some hard flexing into the mix—just clasp your hands together and squeeze your pecs. This will flush even more blood into your chest, and that means more nutrients that speed recovery and growth. Keep this up for seven total sets and your chest will look, and feel, like it’s ready to pop. The term “FST-7” stands for Fascia Stretch Training that’s done for seven sets, but for you, it will be another word for pain. At least until you see the results.

Frequency:

Perform each workout (Day 1 and 2) once per week, resting three days between sessions.

Complete all the sets for one exercise before moving on to the next. For the cable crossover in Day 1, stretch your pecs after one set, and then flex after the next— spend 20 to 30 seconds each time. For example, you’ll do a set of the cable crossover, then immediately stretch your pecs, and then rest as little as possible. You’ll do another set, flex, rest again, and repeat the process until you’ve completed seven sets. To stretch, simply rest your forearms against a door frame or the frame of a power rack, and lean forward until you feel the stretch in your pecs. On Day 1, take every set in the workout near failure. On Day 2, be more conservative with your weights, and leave a few reps in the tank on every set.

Supplemental Gains

During your workout and afterward, I recommend sipping a mixture of branchchain amino acids (BCAAs), glutamine, arginine, and AKG powder. The BCAAs and glutamine will help you recover more quickly; the arginine and AKG powder will help you maintain the pump. I’ve designed two blends, EVP and Cell KEM, that cover these needs. Both are available at www.bodybuilding.com.